Cedric K. Dark, MD, MPH is founder and executive editor of Policy Prescriptions. A summa cum laude graduate of Morehouse College, where he received a B.S. in biology, Dr. Dark earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine. He holds a master’s degree from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He completed his Emergency Medicine residency training at George Washington University while serving as Chief Resident in the 2009-2010 academic year. Currently, Dr. Dark is an attending physician at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr. Dark’s policy experience includes work for the United States House of Representatives and the Kaiser Family Foundation. He has been an invited speaker for organizations such as Physicians for a National Health Program, the American Medical Student Association, and the Student National Medical Association. Dr. Dark’s policy interests include the study of health reform, advocacy, and international health systems. He endeavors to assure that all Americans possess health security through a universal health care system focused on continuity, affordability, and access to quality health care.
Stanley Frencher, Jr, MD, MPH is a co-founder of Policy Prescriptions. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in Biology/Sociology. He specialized in Health and Aging, as well as in Social, Inequality: Race, Class, Gender. Dr. Frencher earned his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During medical school, he obtained a master’s degree in Public Health at Columbia University as a Macy’s Scholar. He is completing his General Surgery residency training at Yale New Haven Hospital aiming toward a career in thoracic oncology.
Dr. Frencher is interested in quality of surgical care, appropriateness of care, and health care disparities. His research interests include the risk factors for surgical diseases. In addition, he endeavors to develop metrics and policies in order to decrease risk factors, increase patient’s access to treatments, and improve quality of care.
Kameron Leigh Matthews, MD, Esq. has contributed to Policy Prescriptions since 2008. She completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University in Public Policy Studies. Dr. Matthews earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. During medical school, Dr. Matthews also obtained a law degree at the University of Chicago. She completed her training in Family Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she served as Chief Resident in the 2009-2010 academic year. Dr. Matthews is now a physician at Cermak Health Services of Cook County, the provider of health care for approximately 11,000 detainees at the Cook County Department of Corrections.
Dr. Matthews served as a past National President of the Student National Medical Association and former intern with the American Medical Association. She currently serves on the Strategic Planning Council of the SNMA, the Government Relations Committee of the Illinoic Academy of Family Physicians, and is an active member of the Cook County Physicians Association. Her career interests lie in patient education, primary care promotion, medical education, and the elimination of health care disparities.
Lisa J. Maurer, MD joined Policy Prescriptions in 2009. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s of science in Neuroscience. She earned her medical degree from University of Minnesota. She is completing her residency in Emergency Medicine at the George Washington University.
Dr. Maurer is interested in the financing of Medicare and Medicaid as well as mechanisms to decrease the cost of medical care, including medical malpractice reform. She is involved in research that explores the balance between quality of care and efficiency in the emergency room setting.
Renée Volny, DO, MBA is a contributing writer for Policy Prescriptions since 2009. She earned her medical degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and her Masters in Business Administration in Health Care Leadership from Rockhurst University. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UMDNJ – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2010.
Dr. Volny served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Student National Medical Association and as a Delegate for the Committee of Residents and Interns-SEIU. Her interests lie mainly in the relationship between women’s health and health policy. She seeks to demonstrate ways of maximizing healthcare resources to promote health, prevent disease, and close the gap on health disparities.
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We are always looking for new writers to help scour the volumes of journals and primary literature detailing the pros and cons of health care reform proposals. If you are interested, please email us at journals@policyprescriptions.org and include a resume & writing sample (no more than 1 page please). Successful candidates will have an advanced degree in medicine, law, public health, or public policy.
